4 Players from Drumshanbo Handball Club represented Leitrim at the Connacht Juvenile B Finals played in Collooney and Bofield on Sunday, Aoibhe Logan, Edel O Donnell, Aimey O Donnell and Evan Foley2 Finals were played. Aimey O Donnell and Aoibhe Logan (Girls U13D) were narrowely beatenin Collooney and got the Connaught Silver Medal.Edel O Donnell (Girls U14) has to wait to another day as her Galway opponent was sickand her game will be played this week.Evan Foley travelled to Bofield and put up a great performance and just lostthe second game to claim the Silver Connaught MedalA great performance from all in their first Connaught Championships.

The Connacht Juvenile B semi-finals were played on Sunday in Drumshanbo, with 8 grades down for decision against Mayo opposition. Two handballers from Drumshanbo Handball Club overcame their opponents to reach the finals with one semi-final still to be played, Boys U13 Paul Flynn (Fenagh Handball Club) v Jack Creighton. Leitrims winners on Sunday were Edel ODonnell (Girls U14) who defeated Lilian Sheehy and Evan Foley (Boys U15) who defeated James Walsh. Playing on the day were Colm McLoughlin (U11), Dara Greenan & Benoit McKiernan (U11D), Darren Wrynne (12), all from Fenagh HC, Aidan Dowler & Karl Foley (U13D), Edel ODonnell (GU14),. Ronan Moran (U14), Conor Flood & Sean Lynch (U14D), Evan Foley (U15). The finals are to be played on Sunday in Collooney and Castleconnor

The Leitrim Junior B Doubles pairing of Leo Logan and Alan Wrynne took on their Sligo counterparts Jason Earlis and Brendan Fleming in the Connacht semi-final played in Drumshanbo on Saturday, where they were defeated on a scoreline of 21-16, 21-3. The first game was very tight the whole way through with the Sligo lads just edging ahead at a crucial stage in the match to close it out. In the second game the Sligo duo were in complete control, with the Leitrim lads suffering a heavy defeat.

Leitrim had two handballers in action at the weekend in All-Ireland 40×20 semi-finals, Leo Logan (Junior B) and Cormac Scollan (U15), with neither player overcoming their Leinster opponents. Leo Logan was defeated by Carlows AaronÓgeoghegan, while Cormac Scollan lost out to Kilkennys Jack Doyle. In the Junior B semi-final, played in Ballaghadreen, Logan made a great start opening up an early lead which he didnt relinquish and went on to take the first game 21-15. The second game could have gone Leos way early on, but his Carlow opponent got some key scores and took the game away from him, on a score of 21-15. The tie-break game which was played at a very high intensity started to slip away from Logan, and the Carlow man went on to win comfortably 21-8.

The Boys U15 semi-final was played in Clogh Co. Kilkenny with Cormac Scollan coming up against a stronger Jack Doyle, losing on a scoreline of 15-5, 15-2. ScollanÓgot off to a great start in the first game, going into a 4 point lead before his Kilkenny opponent started to get to grips with his excellent serving. That was as good as it got for the Fenagh lad, and he was left chasing both games as Doyle was in complete control.

Cormac Scollan took the Connacht U15 title with a comprehensive victory over Galways Aaron McDonagh last Wednesday night in Moycullen, winning on a score line of 15-6, 15-6, to claim his first 40×20 Connacht title. As the score line suggests Cormac was in complete control in both games. He now plays in his first All-Ireland 40×20 semi-final where he takes on Kilkennys Jack Doyle on Sunday in Clogh Co. Offaly at 12.00.

Leitrim Juvenile 40×20 B Finals

The Leitrim 40×20 Juvenile B finals were played in Drumshanbo on Sunday, with players from Fenagh and Drumshanbo Handball clubs taking part. The winners on the day were:

Girls U14: Edel ODonnell (Drumshanbo),

Boys U11: Colm McLoughlin (Fenagh),

Boys U11D: Darragh Greenan/ Ben McKiernan(Fenagh),

Boys U13: Paul Flynn (Fenagh),

Boys U14: Ronan Moran (Drumshanbo).

All go through to the Connacht B juvenile semi-finals to be played in Drumshanbo on Saturday.

Drumshanbos Leo Logan captured the Connacht 40×20 Junior B title on Saturday when he over came the challenge of Roscommons Gordon Nolan on a score line of 21-16, 21-19. As the score suggests the games were very tight with Leos fitness and strength coming to the fore, to edge out two very tough games. The final which was played in Collooney was top class with all the skills of handball on display. Logan had to fight hard to come from behind at the start of both games, but when he pulled ahead he never let Nolan regain the lead in either match, With the first game under his belt, Leo had the composure to see off Nolans strong challenge in the second game, losing serve at 20-19, and, holding his nerve, he regained serve and finished off the game to claim the title. He now faces Leinster opposition in the All-Ireland semi-final in two weeks time. Collooney Handball Club streamed the final live on Facebook and the game can be viewed on the Sligo Handball Facebook page.

Connacht Cuman na mBunscoil Finals

St Patricks NS Drumshanbo had three pupils taking part in the Connacht Finals played in Moycullen Co. Galway on Sunday. Sean McGarry played in the Boys U11 Singles, and Karl Foley and Aidan Dowler were runners up in the Boys U13 Doubles.

The Connacht 40×20 Championship commenced at the week-end with three Leitrim players in action: Joanne Logan Ladies Junior B, Leo Logan Junior B and Joel Smith in Masters B. In the Junior B Championship Sligo provided the opposition with the games played in Collooney. Joanne Logan took on Laura Keever, unfortunately Joanne lost out to a stronger Keever on a score line of 21-10, 21-9. The Junior B game between Leo Logan and Stanley Harte was much tighter with the Drumshanbo man claiming victory by the narrowest of margins in the tie-break 21-10, 17-21, 21-20. As the score suggests this was an epic encounter with Logan having to dig deep in the tie-break game. trailing 17-14 at one stage, he took victory with some of the best handball he has played to book a place in the final. In the Masters B Championship Joel Smith took onÓgalways Kieran Hanley in the semi-final where he suffered a defeat on a score line of 21-8, 21-7.

The All-Ireland Colleges semi-finals and finals were played on Saturday in Wexford venues with Cormac Scollan (Ballinamore Community School) in action in the Boys Junior competition. He took on Billy Drennan (Kilkenny CBS) in the semi final suffering a heavy defeat 15-2,15-6 to the overall winner.

Cormac Scollan secured his first Connacht 60×30 title with a stunning performance in a top quality final played in Roscommon on Saturday, where he overcame the challenge of Sligos Connor Finn, winning on a score line of 10-15, 15-9, 15-3. In a match that was played at a high tempo with a demonstration of all the skills of handball it was an absorbing game for all the neutrals present. In the first game Connor Finn got off to a strong start with a serve that the Fenagh lad got hard to get to grips with in the early stages and went on to win the game 15-10. The second game was a must win one for Scollan and with a combination of good serving and passing shots, he won some key rallies and took the game 15-9. With the momentum from the second game with him Scollan made maximum use of his dominance and gave a top class display of serve and kill shots and went on to take the game 15-3. On his route to the final he defeated Mayos Lorcan Conlon in the semi-final on a score line of 15-4, 15-13. He is now through to his first All-Ireland semi-final which will be played on October 2nd against Ulster opposition in a Connacht venue.

Action in the Connacht 60×30 Championship continued at the week-end with the Singles Championship at semi-final stage. There were five Leitrim Handballers in action: Martin Raftery (Intermediate), Leo Logan (Junior), Joel Smith (Junior B), Barry McDonagh (Junior C) and Ed Lee (Emerald Masters). Despite playing some top class handball none of Leitrims finest progressed to the finals. The Intermediate semi-final was played on Friday night in Williamstown between Drumshanbos Martin Raftery and Ollie Conway (Williamstown). This was Rafterys first time to play in the Intermediate Championship and he took the game to the experienced Conway, losing the first game 21-17, taking the second with a comprehensive win 21-9, but narrowly lost the tie break 21-18. In the Junior semi-final Leo Logan came up against a stronger Denis Creighton (Roscommon) in Roscommon on Saturday losing on a score line of 21-15, 21-14. The Junior B semi-final was played in Collooney between Joel Smith and Jason Earlis with the Sligo man taking the game 21-11, 21-15. In Junior C Barry McDonagh took on Mayos Aidan Connachton in Castlebar where he was defeated on a score line of 21-8, 21-10. To round off a disappointing week-end for Leitrims handballers Ed Lee was defeated in the Emerald Masters semi-final by Michael Hearty (Mayo), after taking the match to a tie break losing the first game 21-8, winning the second one 21-18, he lost the tie break 21-12.

The 60×30 Doubles semi-finals are fixed for this week-end with Leitrim having home advantage. The Intermediate pairing of Martin Rafery and Donal Wrynn, and Minor pairing of Jarlath Scollan and Alan Wrynne play in Fenagh on Sunday with a start time of 3.00pm where they face Galway opposition.

The One Wall Nationals were played in the Breafy House Sports Arena at the weekend. Jarlath Scollan U17, Paul Flynn U13, Cormac Scollan U15, Darren Wrynne U11 and Alan Wrynne U17, all from Fenagh Handball Club who played in the tournament. In U17 Alan Wrynne was defeated by Corks Michael OMalley, while Jarlath Scollan reached the quarter final where he was defeated by last years winner Tadhg ONeill. In U15 Cormac Scollan reached the Plate Doubles Final with Magomed Yakhyeav, which they lost narrowly to Cahir Monroe and Thomas OConnor. Paul Flynn and Darren Wrynne were both narrowly beaten in their opening games and went on to play in their respective plate competitions.